As seen on the Travel Channel’s America’s Most Terrifying Places, Paranormal Lockdown, Fright Club, and Sleepless in Salamanca, Wildwood Sanitarium holds secrets from a bygone era that continue to fascinate and terrify. Nestled in the heart of the Enchanted Mountains, this historic structure in Salamanca, New York, has witnessed over a century of human suffering, healing, and the mysterious echoes of its past inhabitants. It’s a must-visit destination for paranormal enthusiasts with a story as captivating as the ghostly phenomena within its walls.
Wildwood Sanitarium is one of several haunted stops on our upcoming paranormal tour of Gettysburg and surrounding area (Learn More Here)
Early History and a Haunted Present:
Originally established as a holistic healing facility it was repurposed to serve as a tuberculosis treatment center in 1923. Patients came seeking fresh air, long-term rest, and the promise of recovery. The discovery of antibiotics by Albert Schatz in 1943, forever altered the fate of these solemn institutions. With streptomycin providing an effective cure for tuberculosis, sanatoriums began to close across the world and by the 1950s, tuberculosis was no longer a major public health threat. Facilities, like Wildwood, were then left abandoned to rot or found themselves repurposed for new roles.
Yet, abandonment often brings with it a lingering sense of the past—and Wildwood’s haunted reputation is a testament to this eerie legacy. Over the decades, numerous accounts of paranormal activity have surfaced. Visitors and investigators alike have reported hearing disembodied voices, footsteps in empty hallways, and the sudden sensation of being watched as a chill crawls across your neck. Some have even claimed to have seen full-body apparitions, as evidenced in the various paranormal investigations that can be found on a simple Youtube (Apparition Caught on Camera?! | Wildwood Sanitarium Paranormal Investigation)
Experience the Paranormal:
Are these the apparitions of a former nursing staff roaming the building’s upper floors? Will you be open to the possibility of seeing someone clad in a period uniform, appearing as a fleeting shadow, silently tending to patients long since passed? The sanatorium's storied past offers the possibility of a likely spectral encounter and paranormal enthusiasts are drawn from far and wide, eager to encounter the unexplainable.
Whispered tales of children’s laughter echoes through empty rooms and dark halls. Investigators have brought toys and recorded sessions attempting to communicate with these young spirits, with unsettling results—balls that roll on their own, flickering lights, and recorded EVP (electronic voice phenomena) capturing ghostly giggles or faint responses.
The very atmosphere of Wildwood Sanitarium seems steeped in the energy of its history. Creaking floorboards, cold spots, and an undeniable sense of heaviness have been reported by many who enter. Even skeptics leave questioning what they experienced.
Experience Wildwood Sanitarium Yourself:
Are you interested in learning more about our upcoming Gettysburg Paranormal Tour? Visit our website for the full day-by-day breakdown and to book your spot today. Curious to find out why we made this a must-see on our Paranormal Tour? Check out these links and delve into Wildwood Sanitarium's storied past:
Paranormal Lockdown
- https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9060208/?ref_=ttpl_ov
Salamanca Press - https://www.salamancapress.com/news/haunted-happenings-abound-at-wildwood-sanitarium-ghost-hunts/article_9a2ffbba-f5cb-11e9-94ef-8fd4bd2ff4bb.html
Ellicottville Now - https://www.ellicottvillenow.com/articles/article-v2--cjy8z-ejzgb-km3rz-zjsgc-et28e-hh6e6-3w8d9-2lp9c-36mpa-r4a92-nf7zk-hp6yk-empkh
Wildwood Sanitarium
Website - https://www.wildwoodsanitarium.com/history
Paranormal
Encounters - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIXg-qUue-0
Haunted Nights - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y_oyCQac7s